Walking wounded plan to be ready for Colts

Cornerback Nick Harper practiced Thursday wearing a protective flak jacket over his injured ribs, and pronounced himself ready to play Sunday night against the Indianapolis Colts.

“I’m gonna go,” Harper said. “I’ve got a little compression of the ribs, but I’m good to go.”

Harper even said he plans on playing without the protective jacket if he can.

When asked if he would wear the jacket that was laying on the locker room floor, Harper said, "probably not," and joked, “I’m gonna go out there naked and raw.”

Harper suffered the injury last week against Jacksonville when he tried to tackle Jaguars receiver Jarrett Dillard, and the rookie fell on him and pressed his shoulder pads into his ribs.

“Right where the bottom of my shoulder pad meets the rib, it caught me right in that area. It was just a freak accident,” Harper said.
Meanwhile, the Titans other starting cornerback Cortland Finnegan was limited for a second straight day as he tries to make his way back from a right hamstring injury.

Titans coach Jeff Fisher is hopeful of having his starting cornerbacks available with red-hot Peyton Manning and the Colts coming to town Sunday night.

“When you’re playing the best passing offenses in the league, it would be good to have your starting corners. So we’re just hopeful that as the week progresses, he’ll be able to play,” Fisher said.

Jones uncertain

Meanwhile, the news is still uncertain for defensive tackle Jason Jones, who missed another day of practice with a shoulder injury.

Jones said he was clipped by a New York Jets receiver on the touchdown run by Mark Sanchez early in that game, but stayed in to finish up.

“It’s coming along. It’s feeling way better than it did when I first hurt it. Hopefully, I can play this game. It’s pretty much questionable right now. It’s up in the air,” Jones said.

Jones was expected to help fill a big role with the loss of Albert Haynesworth, but first a foot injury and now the shoulder haves short circuited his season thus far.

“You never want to be in that training room, while you’re watching your fellow teammates out there practicing,” Jones said. “That part of it is frustrating. But there’s really nothing I can do about it. Hopefully, it’ll get better soon and I can get back out there on the field.”

Fisher held out hope that Jones could practice Friday and perhaps play Sunday night.

“I’m hoping he’s going to be able to get on the practice field, but we’re just running out of time. Hopefully, he can get out tomorrow. He’s just uncomfortable still,” Fisher said.

Linebacker Colin Allred also missed another day with a shoulder injury, while Stanford Keglar was limited with his hamstring issue.
Linebacker Keith Bulluck (knee) was a full participant, as was receiver Nate Washington (concussion).

Bad call

The touchdown catch that Mike Sims-Walker had against Jason McCourty in the Titans 37-17 loss at Jacksonville was reviewed by Mike Pereira at the NFL office and was said to actually be incomplete, as Fisher had said in the game.

Walker’s 15-yard TD from David Garrard put the Jaguars up 27-3 and put the Titans completely out of the game just before halftime.
The call was ruled a touchdown on the field and was then upheld by the replay official in the booth.

“It was an incomplete pass. It should have never gone to review. I don’t believe there is any excuse for that. It’s an incomplete pass. It wasn’t the difference in the ballgame, but it was an error in judgment on behalf of the replay assistant, and I believe it was an error in judgment on behalf of the referee,” Fisher said.

Practice squad addition

The Tennessee Titans signed running back Lance Ball to their practice squad after hosting four running backs for visits on Thursday.

Ball played college football at Maryland and spent time last season with the Indianapolis Colts.

“Last year I was there from like the seventh game until training camp this year,” Ball said.

Ball’s claim to fame in Indy came against the Titans in last year’s regular-season finale, as he had an 83-yard rushing game in the Colts’ 23-0 victory.

Others who were in for visits included Jedidiah Collins of Washington State, Herbert Donaldson of Western Illinois and Kestahn Moore of Florida.

The Titans had a practice squad opening when they elevated cornerback Cary Williams to the 53-man roster last week and released quarterback Patrick Ramsey.

Titans Fan035, you do know Kerry quit drinking a long time ago, right? Also, did you ever stop and think that maybe the corners that are out there are not worthy bringing aboard. I mean, really I don't know, do you? My prediction:
TITANS 31
colts 28

By:JohnGalt on 10/9/09 at 9:41

What 'cha been smokin' TITAN? The Code Blue call for this weekend is very appropriate. The Titans are on life support and Peyton will pull the plug.

All Titan points...if any...will come from field goals.

By:jps13pat on 10/9/09 at 10:00

I'm also scratching my head with the running backs. Johnson, White, Ringer, Ganther, Henry, Little, and we need another one??? Ganther is a stud and he's on our practice squad. Just sayin.

By:TitansFan035 on 10/9/09 at 10:38

TITAN1, Are you on the bottle men?Only someone under the influence can make that assessment for the final score. I give you props for being a fan and stuff but c'mon men, be for real on this one!

Titans-6
Colts-41

By:TitansFan035 on 10/9/09 at 10:39

Oh and that will be courtesy of " Field Goal Fisher"..

By:BillCampbell on 10/9/09 at 10:53

Check your team roster guys.

Ganther was injured and cut. Henry was cut. Little was cut. Right now the current roster only shows White, Johnson, and Ringer as running backs. A fourth RB on the practice squad makes sense.

By:TITAN1 on 10/9/09 at 11:03

Thank you for that fact, Bill.

TitansFan035. I just feel that the Titans are going to play like they are capable of playing. Vegas must believe it, too. The line opened up with the colts just a 3 1/2 point favorite and it has stayed there. I thought earlier in the week that the colts would win in a blowout or the Titans would win a close one. I now think they will win in a close game.

By:house_of_pain on 10/9/09 at 11:27

Hopefully, the Titans will show up good & angry.
Titans 30
Colts 17

By:teamscout on 10/9/09 at 11:27

Every think that maybe because he (Lance Ball) played for the Colts last year that maybe he could help out with some detail for planning the game?

By:TITAN1 on 10/9/09 at 12:13

teamscout, I would agree if we were playing a team we do not know that well. We know the colts very well, they don't have any secrets, not with Peyton at the helm.

By:teamscout on 10/9/09 at 12:18

At this point however anything that might have some benefit would have to be considered; even if it's audible recognition, etc. This happens across the NFL with some frequency it you watch other teams' rosters.

By:titans suck on 10/9/09 at 3:12

you wanna know our plays fisher. cuz thats why he picked up Lance Ball. i'll tell ya right her. peyton drops back-he sees 87 down the side line- 35-30-25-20-15-10-5-touchdown... 4 or 5 times. might be a diff WR every time but oh well... have acrappy week with your 0-5 record
You had ur year and you srewed it up... deal wit it

Bill, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Ganther and Henry on the practice squad already? I know that they were hoping both would be contributors on special teams, but they were injured, and I heard that they were planning on signing them both to the practice squad. Little I wasn't entirely sure about. Regardless, my initial point was that we have had a plethora of running backs come through here, and we didn't need any more.

HOWEVER, we signed Ball for the exact reason teamscout mentioned. Came straight from Reinfeldt's mouth, and I heard it myself. I guess it's smart. He'll be cut before half time.